California judge prohibits detaining people based solely on Hispanic appearance

Judge Maame Ewusi-Mensah Frimpong of the Federal Court for the Central District of California issued a preliminary injunction to stop immigration agents from detaining people based only on their Hispanic appearance.

The order, signed on October 23, 2026, applies to the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo.

It prevents Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies from using a person's appearance, or the combination of that appearance with the perception of being a low-wage worker, as the sole reason for detention. The judge based the decision on a large amount of evidence, including body camera footage, text messages from officers containing racial slurs, and numerous documented cases where appearance was the only factor used for an arrest.

The ruling requires agents to have reasonable, individualized, and specific suspicion of an immigration violation before they can proceed with an arrest. Attorney Willy Allen noted that while this is a landmark decision for immigrant rights, it currently only applies to Southern California. The government has already appealed the order to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Allen also pointed out that a previous similar order issued by the same judge in July 2025 was suspended by the Supreme Court in September of that year. The lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security was filed by five Latino workers and three organizations, including the United Farm Workers and the Los Angeles Worker Center Network. The legal action comes amid reports that 506 U.S. citizens, including minors, were detained by federal agencies between January 2025 and September 2026.